Knights of Garden
by Kitsune Moonstar
Summary: AU.  Just before one of the biggest moments of his life, Seifer reflects on just how he got there.


Author's note: I do not own Final Fantasy VIII or its characters. This is set after the game and is AU.

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><p><strong>Knights of Garden<strong>

Seifer smirked as Squall fidgeted. "Nervous, Commander Puberty?"

His former rival glared at him. Seifer just shrugged. He couldn't exactly blame Squall for being nervous, but he would tease him mercilessly about it. After all, it wasn't every day that Balamb Garden hosted a double wedding. In fact, Seifer was fairly sure that this was the first time in Garden's history. He wasn't nervous though.

"And you're not?"

He just smirked. "I am perfectly calm. I don't have a soon to be father-in-law who despises me for stealing away his little girl."

Squall paled.

Before he could get in another dig, Irvine popped into the room. "Five minutes till you two have to get into place. Are you all ready?"

Squall gave a curt nod, and Seifer grinned. This was not what anyone would have expected when all this began.

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><p>Quistis had grasped his arm. "Seifer, what are you doing?"<p>

He looked at her suddenly confused. What was he doing? What was going on here? They were supposed to be helping out Rinoa and Leonhart's team. The dark woman growled.

Quistis turned toward her. "What do you want?"

The next thing he knew, Quistis had been hit with a spell, sending her flying back into a wall. She pressed her hand to her side, and he could see blood staining her clothes. Seifer was torn. Part of him wanted to go to Quistis' aid while another part was drawing him towards the dark woman who seemed vaguely familiar.

"Come now, my knight. We have things to be doing."

Seifer took a reluctant step towards her. This was the right thing to be doing, right? He belonged with this woman. She held the key to his dreams. He was her knight.

"He's not going any where with you."

He turned to see Quistis' hands glowing with her limit break. The woman's spell went flying back at her. She deflected it but let out a howl of rage.

"I will not brook any rivals."

She was firing spells at Quistis again, and suddenly Seifer could move. He found himself pulling Quistis close casting a hasty cura before throwing reflect at the dark haired woman. He could hear the others coming, thank Hyne. Seifer held Quistis close, shielding her from any further attack.

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><p>Quistis had probably changed the course of the Sorceress War with her actions that day. Seifer sometimes wondered what would have happened if he had followed Ultimecia, but he was completely happy with the ways things had turned out. That one little fight with Ultimecia had brought a number of things to light that had affected the course of the war. Rinoa had not been the only sorceress among them, and unlike with Rinoa, Ultimecia saw Quistis as a threat, not a potential vessel.<p>

It had been a learning experience. Not only did they have Rinoa and her possession issues, but there was Quistis trying to figure out her powers as well. And of course, he and Squall had to figure out how to work together without maiming anyone. The common bond of being a sorceress' knight helped, but it wasn't easy. Quistis had threatened to lock them in detention and save the world without them at least a few times. Things had worked out though, and they had all managed to survive along with the rest of the world.

And by the end of things, Seifer was no longer uncertain about where he stood. Cid had decided that the Sorceress War could count as a SeeD exam, and so he was finally a SeeD. He was also Quistis' Knight and perhaps something more to her. He had probably learned more about her in that short period of time than in all the years that they had been at Garden together, and Seifer had found that he liked the young woman who hid beneath the mask of the perfect SeeD very much.

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><p>She was leaning against the balcony railing, her hair down and dancing in the wind.<p>

"You're missing the party."

"I just needed a few moments alone." She turned her head to look at him. "I didn't want to spoil the mood in there."

"Oh?"

"They've all got their happy endings, and I don't know where to go from here. Garden decided to let the revoking of my instructor's license stand," Quistis quietly admitted. "Part of me doesn't mind. In fact most of me doesn't mind, but it's been who I am for so long. And…"

"And?"

She turned away. "It sort of hurts to see them so happy. I could walk into that room, and there would be half a dozen men who would be interested in me, but none of them would actually see me for me."

"Come're."

Seifer understood that sort of loneliness. He pulled her into his arms, tucking her head under his chin.

"You could always ask me, you know."

"I just don't want you to feel like I forced you into something. You're my knight, and you have duties to me, but I don't want you to think that you are required to love me."

That explained a number of things. Seifer pressed a kiss to her cheek.

"Tell me this, Quisty. When have I ever done something I didn't want to?"

The hopeful look in her eyes made him smile, and this time he kissed her lips.

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><p>Squall and Rinoa might have had the epic, destined romance that was talked about, but that didn't mean that Seifer and Quistis' courtship hadn't happened as well. They might have been a little quieter about their relationship, but all of Balamb Garden knew of it by the end of their first fight as a couple. It was rather hard to miss the screaming.<p>

Now, a year after the Sorceress War, all four of them were taking another step down the road. Edea rest her hand on his shoulder, startling Seifer out of his thoughts.

"Are you ready, Seifer? It's time to take your places."

He nodded, following her out of the anteroom and to the alter. It had been a financial necessity to have a double wedding. The Sorceress War might have made Balamb's reputation, but it had also left them with a number of repairs that needed to be made and debts to pay. Fortunately, neither of the girls had minded the idea of a double wedding. It seemed appropriate since they had been proposed to on the same day. Seifer smirked at that thought. He at least had beaten Squall to the punch there.

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><p>Quistis was up to her eyebrows in paperwork once again. Seifer bit back a smirk. His lady had finally convinced Garden to give her her instructor's license back and had been promptly buried in paperwork.<p>

"Ready for a break?"

She sighed. "I can't. These are due today by five."

"Come on, Quisty," he wheedled. "Just a short little break. It'll help you get done more quickly, I promise. We can take a short walk, and then you can come back to your work with fresh eyes."

"All right."

Seifer managed to get her to walk all the way down to the beach with him. They sat on some rocks, watching the waves.

"So, I have a question for you."

"And it is?"

He took a deep breath. "I was sort of hoping you would marry me."

"That's not really a question." There was a smile in her voice. "But I'll say yes any way."

And he suddenly found himself with a lap full of a blond sorceress who was quite intent on stealing his breath away. They finally pulled apart for air.

"So, do you want your ring?"

Once the diamond ring was securely on her finger, Seifer devoted himself to a through investigation of his fiancée's mouth.

Quistis reluctantly pulled away with a sigh. "I really do have to get back to my paperwork. Can we postpone celebrations until after five?"

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><p>So here they were. The music swelled, and the procession began. The library girl, Fuujin, and Selphie made their way down the aisle in matching gowns in the palest shade of blue-green and carrying calla lilies. Then came Rinoa in her gown white organza and silver lace on the arm of General Caraway who did not look pleased to be giving his daughter away. Seifer didn't care about that. His eyes were fixed on the woman on Cid's arm. Quistis wore a simple strapless gown of white tulle with a layer of silver embroidery on sheer fabric over the top and sashed with a green ribbon. She met his eyes with a radiant smile. Seifer had eyes for nothing else.<p>

As she came up beside him, he took her hand in his. Seifer grinned. This was definitely the right destiny for him.


End file.
